Dual-use camera and digital image-capturing device therefor

Abstract

A digital image-capturing device is mounted removably in a film-loading chamber of a camera body, and includes a lens unit disposed in front of an image-sensing device. The image-sensing device and the lens unit are aligned with a lens member on the camera body along an optical axis when the image-capturing device is disposed in the film-loading chamber. Activation of a shutter mechanism enables the lens unit to refract light rays from the lens member so as to adjust focusing and size of an image of a target object that is formed on a sensing plane of the image-sensing device. A memory device stores digital image data generated by the image-sensing device. A control device controls exposure time of the image-sensing device, and further controls storage of data in the memory device.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A dual-use camera, comprising: 
 a camera body having a front side and a rear side formed with a film-loading chamber that is adapted to receive a roll of film therein;    a lens member mounted on said front side of said camera body;    a shutter mechanism disposed in said camera body between said lens member and said film-loading chamber, wherein when the roll of film is disposed in said film-loading chamber, said shutter mechanism is capable of being activated such that said lens member forms an image of a target object on a frame of the film inside said film-loading chamber to expose the frame of the film; and    a digital image-capturing device mounted removably in said film-loading chamber, and including an image-sensing device having a sensing plane, and a lens unit disposed in front of said image-sensing device;    wherein said image-sensing device and said lens unit are aligned with said lens member along an optical axis when said image-capturing device is disposed in said film-loading chamber;    wherein when said image-sensing device is disposed in said film-loading chamber, said shutter mechanism is capable of being activated such that said lens unit refracts light rays from said lens member so as to adjust focusing and size of an image of a target object that is formed on said sensing plane of said image-sensing device according to dimensions of said sensing plane, said image-sensing device generating digital image data corresponding to the image formed on said sensing plane thereof;    said image-capturing device further including a memory device coupled electrically to said image-sensing device for storing the digital image data therein, and a control device coupled electrically to said image-sensing device and said memory device, said control device being capable of being activated so as to control exposure time of said image-sensing device and further controlling storage of the digital image data in said memory device.    
     
     
         2 . The dual-use camera of  claim 1 , wherein said image-sensing device includes an array digital image sensor.  
     
     
         3 . The dual-use camera of  claim 1 , wherein said image-sensing device includes an array analog image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter coupled electrically to said array analog image sensor.  
     
     
         4 . The dual-use camera of  claim 1 , wherein said image-sensing device includes sensing cell means for activating said control device upon detecting activation of said shutter mechanism, said control device monitoring status of said sensing cell means and terminating exposure of said image-sensing device upon detection that a predetermined exposure has occurred.  
     
     
         5 . The dual-use camera of  claim 1 , wherein said image-capturing device further includes an output signal port coupled electrically to said memory device.  
     
     
         6 . A digital image-capturing device adapted for use with a camera body having a front side and a rear side formed with a film-loading chamber that is adapted to receive a roll of film therein, said front side of said camera body having a lens member mounted thereon, said camera body being provided with a shutter mechanism therein between said lens member and said film-loading chamber, wherein when the roll of film is disposed in said film-loading chamber, said shutter mechanism is capable of being activated such that said lens member forms an image of a target object on a frame of the film inside said film-loading chamber to expose the frame of the film, said image-capturing device being adapted to be mounted removably in said film-loading chamber, and comprising: 
 an image-sensing device having a sensing plane;    a lens unit disposed in front of said image-sensing device;    wherein said image-sensing device and said lens unit are adapted to be aligned with said lens member along an optical axis when said image-capturing device is disposed in said film-loading chamber;    wherein when said image-sensing device is disposed in said film-loading chamber, activation of the shutter mechanism enables said lens unit to refract light rays from said lens member so as to adjust focusing and size of an image of a target object that is formed on said sensing plane of said image-sensing device according to dimensions of said sensing plane, said image-sensing device generating digital image data corresponding to the image formed on said sensing plane thereof;    a memory device coupled electrically to said image-sensing device for storing the digital image data therein; and    a control device coupled electrically to said image-sensing device and said memory device, said control device being capable of being activated so as to control exposure time of said image-sensing device and further controlling storage of the digital image data in said memory device.    
     
     
         7 . The digital image-capturing device of  claim 6 , wherein said image-sensing device includes an array digital image sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The digital image-capturing device of  claim 6 , wherein said image-sensing device includes an array analog image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter coupled electrically to said array analog image sensor.  
     
     
         9 . The digital image-capturing device of  claim 6 , wherein said image-sensing device includes sensing cell means for activating said control device upon detecting activation of said shutter mechanism, said control device monitoring status of said sensing cell means and terminating exposure of said image-sensing device upon detection that a predetermined exposure has occurred.  
     
     
         10 . The digital image-sensing device of  claim 6 , further comprising an output signal port coupled electrically to said memory device.